Life Contemplation
by gfearday
Summary: Oneshot. Dick and Tim have just gotten back from patrol during Dick's first week as Batman (after Jean Paul Valley), and they have a short discussion about Dick's life thus far.


(Standing in the Library of Wayne Manor)

"How have you been dealing with this?" Dick asks.

"Well, I guess I am glad it is almost done. No more evil Batman, no more getting locked out of the cave, and I get to be your Robin for a while." Tim replied with a cheerful smile. "Life is pretty good, no need to dwell on the past."

Dick chuckles at that replying, "You may be right, but I sure have been thinking a lot about the past. Right now, I am Batman, but what does that even mean? And who was I before?"

"Ooh, moment of life contemplation, I will go get a white board." Tim says excitedly.

"Why?" Dick questions.

"So that we can talk it through. You know, be brothers." Tim replies on his way out of the room.

 _A few minutes later_

"So," Tim states, "Who-is-Dick-Grayson?" saying each word as he writes it in big letters on the top of the whiteboard.

"This is stupid." Dick says incredulously.

"Let's go with 3 points in your life. The last one is now…." Tim says ignoring Dick's comment.

Giving in, Dick adds, "First one would be a combination my parent's death and me becoming Robin. That was a huge turning point in my life."

"Aha! I see a pattern!" Tim exclaims while writing a new title on the top of the whiteboard.

"Dick Grayson: Robin to Nightwing to Batman" Dick reads aloud. He gets up, picks up a marker, and writes as he says "The three points then become 1) Robin, 2) Nightwing, and 3) Batman."

"So, let's start with Robin." Tim says backing away from the board to give Dick space.

"I was around 8 years old when I watched my parents die, and after a few months of the system Bruce adopted me." Dick started.

"I remember, that was the first time I ever saw you. My family went to Haly's Circus on the very day your parents died." Tim butted in.

"Yeah, I remember taking a picture with your family that day; I remember every second of that day." Dick adds ruefully.

"It was one terrible accident. I doubt anyone who was there will ever forget the 'Flying Graysons' falling from the trapeze." Tim says sadly.

Dick looks at him astonished. "It was no accident, Tim. Pop Haly, the ring master, refused to pay 'protection' money to a gangster, so Tony Zucco, said gangster, pored acid on the trapeze ropes to send a message."

"Oh," was all Tim had to say.

"Moving on from that sad topic, Bruce let me become Robin because we had a similar past. His parents were murdered and so were mine." Dick explained. "Bruce and I were Batman and Robin, the dynamic duo fighting for justice so that no one would else would have to go through our pain."

"You put my motives to shame." Tim says solemnly. "Why did you even let me become Robin?"

"Tim, you fought to become Robin because you say that the world needed Batman and Batman needed a Robin. I witnessed first-hand the destruction Bruce caused after Jason died. He needed you. That is why I let you become Robin, but who you are is why you are still Robin." Dick explained reassuringly.

Tim laughed awkwardly. "Sorry about that, back to you. Why did you stop being Robin?"

"Well, there were a lot of reasons, but biggest was that Bruce fired me." Dick says with an amused smile at the memory.

"How did he fire you? You weren't even paid." Tim asks flabbergasted.

"I had been helping the Teen Titians too much for his liking, and he got mad when I showed up late for a chase. When we got to the cave, he yelled at me and said, 'You are fired.'" Dick stated matter-of-factly, not liking that memory the more he thought about it.

"And Alfred just let it happen?!" Tim shot back.

"No, Bruce locked him out of the cave." Dick stated.

"What did you do then?" Tim asked.

"I went and told the Titians I had been fired. Then, I went to see Superman. He told me a story about a hero from Krypton who was in a similar situation–the guy's name was Nightwing. After that, I spent a few days back in the circus, and decided I would be Dick Grayson for a while." Dick replied.

"Okay, then what about becoming Nightwing?" Tim questioned.

"That was one big headache. I had a normal desk job and thought that I could make it as a normal civilian. Then, out of nowhere, Deathstroke attacked me at said job and everything went to hell. One of the Titians betrayed us and gave him all our secret identities, and he used the information to capture everyone but me. I ended up working with his son to rescue them, and I did it under the name Nightwing." Dick explained.

"Was the traitor Terra? I might remember you saying Jericho helped you, but I didn't know Jericho was Deathstroke's son." Tim

Dick sighed, "Funny how that wasn't more than a year ago, but so much has happened. Wonder Girl and Jason died, I almost married Starfire, you came along, Bruce broke his back, and now I am Batman." Dick

"Thank you, by the way. I am glad you became Batman even if it is temporary. Jean Paul Valley was terrible." Tim

Dick laughs, "I don't know if this solved anything, but it was fun. Do you want to go get something to eat? If we were normal human beings, we would be eating breakfast about now."


End file.
